Lewis b



(No Model.)

E. CLARK.

' BELL.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. BELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,238, dated October 23, 1883.

Application filed May 18, 1883. (N model.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEwIs E. CLARK, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Gombined Door-Bell and Letter-Box, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in doorbells and letter-boxes combined. and has for its object to provide means whereby the act of dropping the letter into the box automatically announces to the inmates of the house that a letter has arrived. The same mechanism is also adapted to be operated to announce the arrival of callers. 7

The invention further relates to certain details of construction to be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof, the outer plate being cut away in part, so as to present the construction more in detail.

The bell A is secured to the inside of the door B, as represented in Fig. 1, and is sounded by means of the hammer O. Said hammer O is provided on its end with a movable dog or trip, a, and is itself arranged, as represented, in a slot or opening out through the door B. The hammer-head is arranged to come in contact with the belt A, and the trip a on the end of the hammer-arm is in position to engage with the projection e, which extends from the plate D. Said plate D is arranged to permit being moved upward sufficiently far to bring the projection e againstthe trip a and lift the hammer-head back away from the bell, the relative arrangement of said parts being such as to allow the plate D to be moved upward until the trip a escapes the projection e, whereupon the spring f operates the hammer, so as'to sound the bell A. All

this should take place at the time or before the opening in the door for the introduction of letters is exposed to view.- As the plate D slides downward, the trip a, turning on its pivot-pin, allows the projection e to pass by, whereupon the spring it operates to bring the trip back into position to engage the projection e as the plate D is again lifted, and thus to insure the next operation of the hammer. The plate D is provided with a suitable handle or projection, 12, to insure an easy operation thereof.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the plate D, unless loosely fitted, might become swollen by the action of rain and snow coming in contact therewith, and so become difficult to operate, while, if it is loosely fitted,

the Wet, which would run in behind the plate, unless somewhere interspersed, might enter the house or letter-box. To obviate this difficulty, I have arranged the plate N directly under plate D, and either securely fasten it onto, or, what I think is better. set it a little into, the door B. The plate D is then fitted to slide loosely over the same. From this it will be evident that all Water that passes in behind the outer plate, D, comes upon the inclined edge-surfaces of the plate N, and is thereby carried along to one of the channels I; I), through which .it is conducted out below the opening in the door. If desired, the name may be engraved upon the face of the plate D, as is now usually done on the ordinary name-plate.

I claim In combination, substantially as described, the bell A, spring f, hammer O, trip a, and sliding plate D, having projection c, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS E. CLARK.

Witnesses:

SEYMOUR Burn, 0. B. TUTTLE. 

